Turing Pharmaceuticals AG today announced that Nancy Retzlaff, Chief Commercial Officer, will testify before a U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on drug pricing on Tuesday, January 26. Turing, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on commercializing and developing innovative treatments for rare and neglected diseases and conditions, produces Daraprim, a drug to treat Toxoplasmosis, an infection that can be life-threatening for certain people.

Since fall 2015, Turing representatives have been in regular contact with staff to the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform, providing briefings and background material and answering questions. In testifying before the Committee, the company expects to detail the factors that go into Daraprim pricing, highlight the steps taken to assure its affordability and address any questions.

“Turing has pledged that no patient will be denied access to Daraprim. We recognize that it is a critical therapy for patients and we are thinking creatively about how to both assure its availability and to develop the next generation of drugs to more effectively treat Toxoplasmosis,” said Retzlaff.

More than 60% of Daraprim gross sales are associated with either Medicaid or the 340B program; Daraprim sold to these government programs is provided at $1 per 100-count bottle. In addition, the company will detail a number of other programs that exist to provide Daraprim at a reduced price to patients and ensure access for those with financial needs. For example, Turing provides discounts of up to 50% for hospitals, which are the first to see approximately 80% of patients with toxoplasmosis encephalitis – the most common form of toxoplasmosis in the United States. In addition, a new 30-count bottle has recently been introduced, as a way to lower the threshold of stocking Daraprim.

“We believe that our testimony will provide helpful information about the real out-of-pocket cost for the vast majority of patients who take Daraprim, an amount that is far below the wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of the drug,” said Retzlaff. “We share the Committee’s desire to assure patients have access to lifesaving treatments.”